The Wolf Patrol Part 41

'Foller 'im up,' said the Raven briefly; 'scout's job to mek' sure.'

d.i.c.k nodded, and without another word they struck the trail, and worked their way up the steep slope.

'Blood,' said Chippy, and pointed out two stains on the gra.s.s.

'Blood it is,' replied his companion, and they pressed forward.

Near the top of the slope, where, just at the crown, the hill was at its steepest, the boys stopped in amazement. Here was a trail with a vengeance! The roadside gra.s.s gave way to a sandy patch twenty yards long, and the patch was scored with long, dragging marks. Then d.i.c.k-pointed with his staff. There in the soft soil was the impression of a hand, and dark spots lay along the trail.

'By Jove, Chippy! the poor chap!' cried the Wolf. 'The hill proved too steep for his weakness. Look, he's finished it on his hands and knees.'

d.i.c.k bent, and laid his own hand over the clear impression on the sand.

'Same size again,' he cried; 'he's just about our age, Chippy.'

'It's the blood he's lost as fetched 'im down,' said the Raven, his face very grave; 'but he's a good plucked un. He's fightin' his way somewheer.'

At the top of the hill came a level stretch, and here the wounded rider had gathered himself together again and stumbled forward. Within a very short distance the road forked, and at the fork the trail was lost. The two roads were hard and stony, and showed no trace of footmarks, and the blood had ceased to fall.

'A road apiece,' said Chippy.

'Yes,' said d.i.c.k. 'You take right; I'll take left. First one to find anything whistles.'

CHAPTER XLIV

THE BROTHER SCOUT

They parted instantly, and each took his track, his eyes glued to the ground. They could work a great distance apart and yet keep in touch, for their patrol whistles were very powerful, and the day was still.

Chippy went a good three-quarters of a mile, and yet had found nothing.

He feared he was not on the right track, for at last he came to a soft patch where spoor ought to have been. There was one new track: the man with the hobnailed boots had turned this way, but there was no other sign of recent pa.s.sage. Chippy was standing in hesitation, when faint and far away the shrill call of a patrol whistle came to his ears. At once he raised his own whistle to his lips and blew an answering call, then turned and darted like a hare back along the road. He gained the fork and raced along the path which d.i.c.k had followed. It was clear that the Wolf had found the track or the injured boy, but the Raven did not trouble about searching for signs of the rider. He knew that his comrade would leave him full directions which way to travel, and his only aim now was to join d.i.c.k. So he tore along the road, his eyes fixed on the centre of the track.

Suddenly he pulled up dead. There was a broad arrow marked heavily in the road with the point of d.i.c.k's staff. The head pointed to a side-track, and Chippy wheeled and flew off in the new direction.

Again he was pulled up. A second broad arrow, square across the way.

This time the head pointed to a wicket-gate painted white. Even as the Raven dodged through the wicket he knew that his comrade had hit the right trail. The wicket was painted white, and a stain of red was smeared across the top bar: the injured boy had pa.s.sed this way.

Faster and faster sped the Raven along a winding field-path which led through meadow after meadow. Then he saw his friend in the distance, and knew that d.i.c.k was still on the trail, for he was bending low and moving slowly. The Wolf turned his head as his companion came up panting.

'I'm on the spoor, Chippy,' he said. 'Here's blood again, spot after spot. He must have begun to bleed afresh.'

'I seed some on the gate,' said the Raven; 'did yer hit the trail pretty soon?'

'No,' returned d.i.c.k. 'I was in more than half a mind to turn back when I came on the boot track and knew it again. And within twenty yards I found sure signs and whistled.'

He moved forward, and the Raven dropped into file behind, for the track was narrow. Thus it was that he, being free to glance ahead, was the first to catch sight of the object of their search.

'Look, d.i.c.k!' he cried. 'Look, look! Right ahead!'

d.i.c.k straightened himself, saw what his comrade meant, and the two boys darted forward. They had just turned a corner where the path wound by a tall bank, and thirty yards before them a figure lay in a heap at the foot of the bank. As they ran up to it, they uttered a cry of surprise and wonder. It was a brother scout! There he lay, his slouch hat beside him, his badge on his arm, his legs doubled under him. He had made a grand fight, a scout's fight, to gain his home after his severe accident. But now he had collapsed from utter weakness and loss of blood, and lay against the bank, his face as white as wood-ashes.

His comrades pounced on him at once, placed him in an easier position, and searched for the wound. It was on the inner side of the right arm, a frightful ragged cut made by the deep point of the jagged stone, and was bleeding still. Out came d.i.c.k's handkerchief and Chippy's knife.

d.i.c.k tied the handkerchief above the wound, Chippy cut a short, stiff stick. Then the stick was slipped inside the bandage and twisted until the handkerchief was very tight, and had checked the flow of blood.

d.i.c.k held the boy's arm up above his body as a further aid to check the bleeding.

'Now, Chippy,' he said, 'cut round and get some water in the billy.'

'Right,' said the Raven; 'we pa.s.sed a ditch wi' some water in it a bit back.' He flew off, and soon returned with the billy full of cold water.

'Now give me your handkerchief,' said d.i.c.k, 'and while I dab the cut with water you push ahead and find help.'

Chippy nodded. 'I reckon this path runs somewheer,' he said. 'I'll foller it up.'

He raced forward and disappeared round a further bend, leaving d.i.c.k to do his best for their unconscious comrade. Within three hundred yards Chippy saw a white house before him in lee of a fir coppice.

'His place, I know!' burst from Chippy's lips. The poor lad had fallen almost within call of home. How narrowly had a tragedy been averted!

The Raven ran on, pa.s.sed through another white wicket, and entered a farmyard. A tall man was just dismounting from a cob.

'What, Fred, back already?' he cried, then stopped, for he saw it was not Fred, but a stranger in scout's uniform. Chippy darted up to him.

'Fred's your boy as like as not,' he said. 'A scout same as me. Went off on his bike a bit back, eh?'

'Yes,' said the farmer wonderingly; 'how do you come to know about him?

I've never set eyes on you before.'

'He's met with a bit o' an accident,' said Chippy, 'an' a comrade o'

mine found him an' sent me to get help. Seems I've come to the right place, fust send on.'

'Where is he?' cried the farmer.

'Just along the medder-path,' replied Chippy, pointing; 'fell off his bike, an' had a nasty tumble. Better bring summat to carry him.'

'Is he badly hurt?' cried the farmer in alarm.

'Well,' said Chippy, 'theer's a nasty cut on his arm, but we've stopped the bleedin'.'

The farmer called to two men at work in a barn, and a door was hastily lifted from its hinges. Then all three hurried along in the wake of the Raven, who led the way back.

CHAPTER XLV

AT THE HARDYS' FARM

But scarcely had the party left the farmyard than they saw in the distance the figure of a heavily laden scout. It was d.i.c.k marching along with his injured comrade on his shoulders. A few moments after Chippy departed in search of help, the wounded boy came to himself under the influence of the cold water with which d.i.c.k bathed the hurt and the boy's face.